Essence of Desire Read online

  “It’s getting late and I’m tired of talking,” she said, intruding into his thoughts. “Are you going to let me give you a makeover?”

  A smile curved his lips. “There’s no way I can’t let you at least try.”

  She returned his smile. “Do you doubt my capabilities?”

  “Only to the extent that you doubt mine,” he countered.

  She lifted an arched brow. “Meaning?”

  “A makeover can work both ways. Sounds like you need one just as much as I do.” He pulled loose his necktie and tossed it aside. “So, let’s get this show on the road.”

  Roxie frowned, lifting her chin. He was trying to take charge, turn the tables, and she was not going to let him. He was the one who needed the makeover, not her.

  She took a couple of steps, crossing the floor to him and placed her hand on his when his fingers went to the buttons on his shirt. “Hands off. I can do this,” she said, and proceeded to take over when he dropped his hands to his side.

  What ever cologne he was wearing should be labeled simply as Man since already the scent was getting to her; as well as the fact he was fully aroused. She had noticed the moment he’d seen her naked. Some things a man couldn’t hide and his desire for a woman was at the top of the list.

  She slowly eased the buttons free, trying not to rush. She would hate to ruin such a nice designer dress shirt. She knew that he was not a man who would relinquish control easily, and wasn’t surprised when while keeping his hands at his side he leaned down and swiped the side of her face with the tip of his tongue. “Behave,” she scolded.

  His husky chuckle sent shivers down her already aroused body. “If you expect me to behave then you don’t know me very well.”

  She looked up and met his gaze when she had finished the last button and proceeded to ease the shirt off his shoulders. She did know him very well. And because she knew him she knew exactly what he needed. Today, at this moment, he needed her. But she wasn’t conceited enough not to admit that in her own way, she needed him as well. However, she wouldn’t go so far as to think she was also in need of a complete makeover like him. She liked the way her life was going just fine. Two years without any kind of intimacy was no big deal for her, but going without, for even a month, was probably a big deal for him. For any man. Sex on a regular basis was just part of their nature.

  “Now for your socks and shoes,” she said, taking a step back.

  He grinned. “No fair. I took off yours.”

  “Do as you’re told. I promise to make it worth your while.”

  He held her gaze. “And I intend to hold you to that promise.”

  Robert sat on the edge of the huge Jacuzzi tub and removed his shoes and socks. He then stood and was at Roxie’s mercy again when her hands went to the waist of his slacks, specifically his zipper.

  When she had eased it all the way down, she glanced up at him beneath long lashes and a soft, warm smile on her lips. And at that moment he couldn’t help wondering if she and her ex had ever played any bedroom games like they were doing. If not, what a pity. She seemed to be enjoying herself and he knew that his own enjoyment level was at a tremendous high.

  “Nice set of tools, Noble.”

  The sound of her voice was sexy. “Glad you think so.” And when she reached her hands past the waistband of his slacks to cup him, he sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Her hands felt good on him. Her fingers were tracing a path up and down the full length of him as if taking stock of his size. And when she fondled his testicles, he almost groaned out loud.

  “I’m looking forward to working with these,” he heard her say.

  “Glad to hear it,” he murmured deep in his throat.

  He reopened his eyes when he felt her tug on his slacks, wanting them off his body. He was happy to oblige and pushed them down his legs and stepped out of them, kicking them aside. Then he was standing in front of her as naked as she was. Not one to waste time, she held out her hands. “This is your makeover, Robert. I want to change your attitude, remind you what you’ve been missing, and how going without just doesn’t cut it for you. It makes you uptight, stoic, boring. I want the old Robert back. I want to be made love to by the old Robert.”

  Robert wondered if she knew what she was asking for since she’d never made love with the old Robert before. But he didn’t mind giving her what she thought she wanted and hoped she didn’t have any regrets.

  He closed the distance between them and instantly lowered his mouth to hers; kissing her with a hunger that he felt all the way to his bare toes. He felt something else as well. She was pressed against him so tight that he felt the hardness of her nipples pierce his chest, while at the same time his engorged sex was nestling between the warmth of her thighs.

  He couldn’t get enough of kissing her and when her hands wrapped around him, held him tight, he was helpless to do anything but lengthen the pleasure. And this was pleasure to the point of madness. The way her tongue was responding to his, interacting in a way that had his groin on fire. He could come just from kissing her.

  Not willing to risk that possibility, he broke off the kiss long enough to reach out and cup her breasts in his hands, just moments before taking a budded nipple into his mouth, wrapping around it with his tongue, licking and sucking it like a starved man. Her moan was deep, raw and it elicited deep emotions within him. Emotions he didn’t try to hide. Nor did he want to.

  Roxie thought she was going out of her mind. Never had she encountered such sensuous pleasure with a man’s mouth on her. Darrin had been a straight missionary position kind of guy, claiming that was the only way a couple was supposed to make love. Foreplay was done quickly and was over before it even got started. Her one sexual encounter before Darrin hadn’t set off any memorable explosives either and had made her wonder what all the hoopla regarding sex had been about.

  Now she knew.

  Every man might own a set of tools but not all of them knew how to operate them like this. If Robert could make her feel this way with his mouth on her breasts, she didn’t want to think about how it would be to have him inside of her.

  He pulled back and picked up his slacks off the floor. “I got a condom in here somewhere,” he said, going through his pants pocket. He smiled in relief when he pulled out one.

  Roxie hadn’t been concerned. If he hadn’t been prepared she was, since she’d known what her plans for him were. She watched, fascinated, as he ripped open the condom pack with his teeth and then rolled the condom onto his thickened body part. She couldn’t help but appreciate the length and size of him.

  She opened her mouth to tell him that, but he made a quick move and pulled her to him and captured her mouth again, feasting on her hungrily, more so than before. And then he picked her up and sat her down on the countertop. Widening her legs he slid between them. Cupping her hips, he drew her closer to him and when she was close enough and he was in position, he pushed in, penetrating her, filling her completely and stretching her to the limit.

  Being inside of her, flesh to flesh, felt so damn good that he could only take a moment and pause to savor the moment, the feelings, and the emotions that were flowing through him. And he couldn’t stop himself from thinking how right it felt. It struck him at how right it felt. A guttural groaned escaped from Robert’s lips when he felt her inner muscles tighten around him and he threw his head back, feeling pressure reeling inside of him, driving from his mind, any and all thoughts except for those of her and the joining of their bodies.

  The curve of her body was perfect for his, a fit like none other, snug, tight, to the hilt. Now to find her erogenous zone. With a skill he had perfected over the years he used the hands cupping her backside to tilt her hips off the countertop, to touch on a spot inside of her that had her moaning out loud.

  He smiled. It was an accurate hit.

  And then he began moving, slow at first to make sure each stroke counted and was intensely felt. He stared down at her, could tell from her expre
ssion that all kinds of feelings and sensations were pouring through her, the way they were pouring through him, sparking fire throughout every nerve with each thrust.

  She grabbed hold of his arms that were planted on both sides of her in an attempt to stay steady while he increased the rhythm, enhanced the pace and deepened the strokes. Time and time again, he would go in all the way, pull out a little, and thrust back in again. Each entry stronger than before. The feel of flesh sliding against flesh, warmth building into heat, and fire building in his limbs, made him shudder deep inside. His muscles within her contracted, while her inner muscles clenched him, refusing to let go, not even an inch.

  He stared down at her. Saw the misty glow on her face, the deep darkness in her eyes staring back at him, the lush shape of her mouth and he thought, at that moment, she was insanely beautiful.

  He leaned down and kissed her, needing the connection, craving her taste once again. And when his tongue took hold of hers, sucked on it like a starved man, an explosion erupted inside of her. He felt it. He savored it. It consumed him with the same magnitude that it was consuming her, and when her body jerked, was convulsed in spasms, overtaken with pleasure, he held tight, pushed inside her deeper and the same time that she wrapped her legs around him in a grip that couldn’t be denied.

  Somehow he was able to sink even deeper and when she moaned his name on a long breathless sigh, he then whispered hers, and together they soared higher and higher. He wasn’t sure if the two of them would ever be able to come back down to earth.

  Eight

  “You thought of everything,” Robert said, pulling Roxie deeper into his arms, as his body spooned hers while they lay together on an air mattress.

  She smiled. “I tried to.”

  Once they had regained their strength after making love in the master bathroom, she had taken his hand and led him to a guest room whose door had been locked. When she used a key to open it and he stepped inside, he’d discovered an air mattress on the floor covered in silken sheets and a bottle of wine in a bucket of ice, as well as a CD player that had provided soft, stimulating music.

  With quick use of her cell phone, dinner had been delivered from a Chinese restaurant nearby. After filling their stomachs and drinking wine they had stripped off their clothes again, stretched out on the air mattress to indulge in lovemaking. Now they were glowing in the aftermath, holding each other close. Their breathing eased out in slow spells as they tried rebuilding their energy, contemplating going yet another round.

  “It’s gotten dark outside,” Robert noted, glancing out the window.

  Roxie chuckled. “Your nosey neighbors are probably wondering what’s happening over here; especially after dinner was delivered. We’ve been locked up in here for hours.”

  Robert shifted on the mattress. “Let them wonder. We’re adults and don’t have to answer to anyone but each other.”

  Satisfied with his answer, Roxie tried pressing herself as close to Robert as she could get and he automatically tightened his hold on her. For the first time in years her body was satisfied and she knew Robert deserved all the credit. She had set out to bring the old Robert back, but in doing so he had helped her to admit something within herself that she hadn’t been able to until now.

  She was in love with him. Had been for some time but had conveniently pushed it to the back of her mind, but as she’d recently discovered, not out of her heart. Seeing him again two weeks ago had made her realize that in a way nothing had changed. Although he was here with her now, it was only because of strategic planning on her part and not because seducing her had been his idea.

  “You’ve gotten quiet on me,” Robert whispered in her ear.

  She met his gaze and decided to be honest with him…up to a point. “I was thinking how good we are together.”

  He leaned down and rubbed his cheek against hers and she felt him smile against her face. “Yes, we are good together. Who would have thought?”

  She had, she wanted to say but reframed from doing so.

  “You’re a very passionate woman, Roxie,” he said, taking the tip of his finger and tracing the flatness of her belly. “Especially here,” he said, letting his fingers travel lower to the area between her legs.

  Her entire body tensed in anticipation as to what he would do next. Over the past few hours he had been free with his fingers, mouth and tongue. What she’d told him earlier was true. They were good together. And she knew he was once again about to show her just how much.

  He took his time to stroke her until she was moaning words she’d never even heard of, never known existed, and when he shifted positions and eased his body over hers, she automatically opened her legs to him. But he didn’t take what she offered until she looked up at him.

  He gazed deep into her eyes and that moment in addition to feeling desired, she felt totally in sync with him. And she felt so much love. This is what being here with him had been about. Sad, he would never, ever know it.

  Capturing her hands in his, he raised them above her head, and continued to hold her gaze as he sank deep inside of her. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him. Pure feminine satisfaction consumed her and then he began moving, establishing a rhythm that had her purring. She knew if she never made love to another man in her life, this was it. The ultimate in sexual pleasure.

  And when another orgasm hit, setting off a mass of vibrations deep inside her womb, she clenched her muscles tight on him. He responded, following her over the edge, holding her as explosions ripped through his own body. She clung to him, tightened her legs around him and dug her fingers deep into his shoulders.

  And moments later when they tumbled back down to earth, Roxie felt a contentment she hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. And as hard as she wanted to fight it, she knew she was falling deeper and deeper in love.

  ***

  Robert stirred awake. It was time for him to leave. He had to get back to Orlando for a meeting tomorrow. Usually, he didn’t have Saturday meetings but the person he was doing business with was arriving in the morning.

  He leaned on his elbow and glanced down at Roxie. She was sleeping like a baby and he hated waking her but knew that he had to sooner or later. He glanced at his watch glad he didn’t have to wake her at that moment. There was a little time left so he shifted on his back and looked up at the ceiling, playing over and over in his mind what had passed between them.

  He had no regrets and hoped when all was said and done she didn’t have any either. And he wasn’t experiencing any moments of guilt by assuming what they’d done would compromise his relationship with Colt. Like him, Colt had accepted that their sisters weren’t little girls that needed to be protected anymore. They were grown women with their own minds to do as they please, and they had the ability to handle their own business. Besides, Colt knew he would never, ever do anything to hurt Roxie. She meant too much to him.

  A sense of wonderment at just how much she meant to him had his heart pounding in his chest. There was a sudden shifting of his mindset that seemed to bring a few things into focus. More than ever before he was aware of a woman as a woman, and not just a supplier of male gratification. For years, as far back as the time he’d reached puberty, he had a curious spirit, and when it came to the opposite sex his inquisitive mind had begun snooping, probing into a subject he’d found intriguing. Luckily for him, Colt had shared the same inquiring propensity.

  Since the both of them had been born blessed with good looks, females had made things easy for them. In a way, too easy. From the time they’d been fifteen, they’d had one illicit encounter after another, most with girls a lot older than they were, definitely more experienced. If only every man could have been as fortunate to have undergone the extensive and private hands on training they’d received. To have your primitive desires taken care of without a worry or hassle had been astounding.

  College hadn’t been too much different. The women had flocked to him and Colt. They’d had their pick and life h
ad been good. However there had never been a doubt in either of their minds that one day they would eventually settle down and their overactive testosterone would level off. He’d known, just as Colt had, that there was a special woman out there, one they would pledge their lives to; create a family with, and grow old together with.

  Colt had found Cinnamon and he had found Noble Technology. His company had been as demanding as any wife could be, but still, he had been able to juggle a work life and sex life and thought he had found the perfect mix until that little fiasco with Mariah. It had been sheer luck that he hadn’t been interested enough to invite her to his bed. What he’d thought was lousy timing had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

  “Robert?”

  The softness in her voice had him shifting up and leaning on his elbow to look down at her. She was awake; her features had that sexy, drowsy look. “Yes?”

  “Are you staying in Summerlin for the weekend?”

  Regretfully, he shook his head. “No, the plane is waiting for me to fly back to Orlando tonight. I should have left hours ago. I hadn’t expected this.”

  He hadn’t expected it nor had he been able to walk away from it. He had called his pilot earlier while waiting for their food to arrive to let him know there would be a delay.

  “Complaining?” she asked.

  “No, not one iota.” He paused for a second and then asked. “How would you like to come to Orlando next weekend? Do you think you can get away?”

  She gazed up at him from between long lashes and she had a coy look on her face when she said. “Umm, I don’t know. What’s for me in Orlando?”

  A laugh sounded from deep in his chest. “Mickey, Minnie and Donald, for starters. Then there’s Snow White and those Seven Dwarfs.”

  She grinned. “Interesting. Anything else?”

  His smile deepened. “There’s that set of tools I own that you seem fascinated with.”

  Her eyes appeared to brighten. “Do I get to work with them again?”